Containment booms are utilized for the removal of oil, debris, and other pollutants floating on the surface of a body of water, particularly harbors which are susceptible to oil spills from ships. The booms float on the surface of the water and form a wall around the floating material, such as an oil slick, to contain the floating material as it is removed from the water surface.
A problem arises in that the booms are often deployed in water having waves which can upset the boom and permit the oil of the oil slick to wash over the boom. For example, during heavy seas the crest of a wave can strike a boom causing it to roll over so that the wave with the oil thereon pass over the boom.
Attempts have been made to stabilize booms to overcome the foregoing problem by the use of outriggers and similar floating structures which are attached to the curtain of the boom to maintain the vertical attitude of the curtain in the presence of heavy seas. One such structure is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,042 which issued in the name of C. S. Denison on Oct. 3, 1972. Such structures have the disadvantage of adding substantial size, weight, and complexity to the boom. Such a disadvantage can well be appreciated when a lengthy section of boom is to be deployed and only a small boat is available for the deployment.